"Cutting off ties?"
Yun Wan and Emperor Jingxuan exchanged a glance, finding it hard to believe.
The three little ones, who were usually inseparable at the Hongwen Academy, covering for each other's mischief, as close as if they shared the same pair of pants—had they really cut off their friendship as soon as the holiday began?
But judging by Sui's sorrowful expression, filled with sighs and distress, it was most likely true.
Yun Wan's heart ached as she hugged Sui tightly. "Tell us what happened. Why would you cut off ties for no reason?"
It wasn't easy for the child to make friends, and they were all well-behaved kids. Yun Wan cherished them too.
Emperor Jingxuan, however, raised an eyebrow and mocked without mercy: "Was it a difference of opinion, or a conflict of interest? It seems your friendship wasn't that strong after all."
Sui, who was already heartbroken over the lost friendship, couldn't stand hearing this. He immediately lifted his head and butted it hard against his old father's thigh bone, fierce as a little lion shamed into anger.
After tiring himself out, he simply flopped on his leg and refused to move. Soon, a muffled voice came: "Father is bad."
Yun Wan also looked at him disapprovingly, her expression identical to her son's.
Emperor Jingxuan rubbed his nose, then lifted the little ball from his leg into his arms, giving him a displeased squeeze. "I was helping you analyze the reason. Only you, relying on being young, would dare attack me like this."
If his wife weren't watching, he would definitely punish this kid.
"Speak, what happened?" He rarely had the leisure to bother with children's friendship disputes.
Sui held his reddened, pinched cheeks, hesitated for a moment, and meeting his parents' concerned gazes, felt his nose sting.
"Third Prince said I'm a liar and won't play with me anymore."
He turned his head away, sulking.
This matter started with the incense-burning ceremony for the Qi family ancestors at the Fengxian Hall that morning.
Watching Sui, who had received the honor of standing beside Emperor Jingxuan to add incense for the Qi ancestors, the Crown Prince felt jealous.
He was the Crown Prince, yet he had to take a back seat to a bastard who hadn't even been formally recognized.
The Crown Prince had never imagined that the little milk baby he used to look down upon was actually his father's child, his own brother.
Because of Sui and his mother, his own mother had fallen out of his father's favor, he himself had nearly been deposed, and even caused his cousin-in-law from the Chen family to be demoted and exiled to Lingnan by his father.
And Sui had become the center of attention, a prince, even stealing his father's focus.
After the incense ceremony, watching his father carry Sui towards the Zichen Hall, the Crown Prince felt a surge of helpless anger.
Because besides anger, there was nothing he could do.
His mother and uncle both told him to bide his time, study hard, and not bother with a four-year-old child.
But the Crown Prince couldn't accept it.
If he was unhappy, why should others be happy?
Catching sight of the Third Prince out of the corner of his eye, the Crown Prince hatched a plan.
He swatted the longevity candy from the Third Prince's hand, his tone scornful: "You still have the heart to eat candy? If this continues, where will Father remember he has a son like you?"
He didn't like this third brother either—dull, foolish as a pig, only knowing how to eat, drink, and play all day, with no ambition, utterly unworthy of being his brother or rival.
The Crown Prince couldn't help thinking, how wonderful it would be if Father had only him as a son?
Third Prince, whose candy had just vanished from his mouth: ?
Seeing it was the Crown Prince, he swallowed his anger and said, "If he doesn't remember, then he doesn't. I'm still Father's son anyway."
He actually wished Father would think of him less, especially during academic assessments. He sometimes felt it wouldn't be so bad not to be Father's son.
The Crown Prince's expression changed, exasperated. "Foolish! I have never seen anyone as foolish as you!"
"Well, now you have."
The Third Prince unhurriedly took another pine nut candy from his pouch. This time, he kept a wary eye on the Crown Prince as he carefully put the candy in his mouth.
Seeing this, the Crown Prince rolled his eyes, looking down on his petty demeanor.
"You don't care, but what about your mother? And your maternal grandfather? They will surely be even more disappointed in you from now on!" His tone was intense, trying to provoke resentment in the Third Prince.
Third Prince: munch munch munch.
The pine nut candy crunched loudly between his teeth.
A vein throbbed at the Crown Prince's temple. He grabbed the Third Prince's shoulder. "Now Father only has eyes for that mother and son. If you keep playing with him, you're betraying your own mother and maternal grandfather!"
"When that kid badmouths you in front of Father, and when Father completely forgets he has a son like you, you'll be left eating husks!"
The Third Prince was shaken so hard he nearly bit his tongue. He glared angrily. "Fourth Brother is not that kind of person!"
The Crown Prince sneered. "Naive! Foolish!"
"You treat him as a sworn brother, but he hid his identity from you. Clearly, he never really considered you a true brother. He was just fooling you. And only you—"
He paused, jabbing a finger hard into the Third Prince's shoulder, his eyes mocking. "—my foolish brother, believed it."
Something in those words struck a chord with the Third Prince. Confusion and struggle flashed in his eyes.
Seeing this, the Crown Prince felt pleased and continued to persuade. "I suggest you stay away from him. Join forces with me. From now on, ostracize that kid at the Hongwen Academy, make it so he can't stay."
Given his current situation, having one more ally was all the better.
However, the Third Prince said indignantly, "You called me a pig. I don't want to join forces with you. Get lost!"
Pushing the Crown Prince away, he left without looking back.
Having rarely extended an olive branch only to be refused, the Crown Prince gritted his teeth: Ungrateful wretch!
But seeing the direction the Third Prince stormed off in, a look of satisfaction crossed his face.
.......
Wandering aimlessly, the Crown Prince's words swirling in his mind, the Third Prince was deeply conflicted.
Ever since Sui became his brother, the Third Prince noticed everyone around him had changed.
His mother cursed Sui and Consort Yun all day, ordering him not to play with Sui. His maternal grandfather also wore a complicated expression when mentioning Sui, something like regret and pity, reminding him to keep his distance.
For a moment, the Third Prince didn't know what to do. Should he really distance himself from Sui?
Head hanging, he walked haphazardly and happened to bump into Sui.
The Third Prince instinctively turned away, but Sui immediately called out to him: "Royal Brother, where are you going?"
From 'Third Prince' to 'Royal Brother,' Sui said it very naturally. He had already accepted that the Crown Prince and Third Prince were his half-brothers.
The Third Prince acted as if he hadn't heard and kept walking.
Thinking he hadn't heard, Sui ran over on his little legs and grabbed the hem of his robe.
The Third Prince stopped, turning his face away from Sui. "Go away. I don't want to talk to you."
Sui was bewildered. "Why?"
The Third Prince's eyes reddened with anger. "Because you're a liar! You never really treated me as a brother!"
Sui didn't understand. "But we are brothers?"
Staring at his innocent face, the Third Prince said furiously, "Anyway, I'm not playing with you anymore."
Sui withdrew his hand, even more puzzled. "Why?"
Again with the 'why'? The Third Prince was exasperated. "Because Mother and the Crown Prince both told me not to play with you, to stay away from you!"
"Why listen to them? What about you yourself?"
Sui's faint eyebrows were scrunched up in a mess, clearly not comprehending at all.
